Combined product hanger and label support

ABSTRACT

A combined product hanger and label support, especially for banana bunches or the like, comprising a label support essentially constituted by a planar plate member having opposed edges, at one of which there protrudes a hanger or suspension hook and at the other of which there protrudes from the plane of the label support expandable resilient arms intended to engage with the products to be hung. Means cooperate with the suspension hook to prevent undesirable release of the suspension hook from the carrying support engaged thereby. Such means can be for instance in the form of a projecting nose member which reduces the effective opening through which passes the carrier support so that the same can only be inserted into the engaged position with the hanger by forcing such therethrough.

United States Patent [191 Okle [ COMBINED PRODUCT HANGER AND LABELSUPPORT [75] Inventor: Kurt Okle, Tubach, Switzerland [73] Assignee:Stoba AG, Horn, Switzerland [22] Filed: Sept. 24, 1973 [21] Appl. No.:400,568

[52] U.S. C1. 248/339, 248/360 [51] Int. Cl. A47g 29/00 [58] Field ofSearch 248/239, 340, 360, 73 HH;

24/230.5 TP, 237; 40/2 R Mar. 11,1975

Primary Examiner casmir A. Nunberg Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Werner W.Kleeman [57] ABSTRACT A combined product hanger and label support,especially for banana bunches or the like, comprising a label supportessentially constituted by a planar plate member having opposed edges,at one of which there protrudes a hanger or suspension hook and at theother of which there protrudes from the plane of the label supportexpandable resilient arms intended to engage with the products to behung. Means cooperate with the suspension hook to prevent undesirablerelease of the suspension hook from the carrying support engagedthereby. Such means can be for instance in the form of a projecting nosemember which reduces the effective opening through which passes thecarrier support so that the same can only be inserted into the engagedposition with the hanger by forcing such therethrough.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures COMBINED PRODUCT HANGER AND LABEL SUPPORTBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a new andimproved construction of combined hanger and label support for articlesor products, particularly for bunches of bananas.

The prior art is familiar with different constructions of hanger devicesfor products, especially for bunches of bananas, wherein a label supportis provided at one side with suspension means, for instance an eyelet ora hook for suspending the support at a nail, rod, wire or the like of asales display stand, and at the other side with hook portions intendedto engage with the articles or products to be displayed for sale.Different requirements are imposed upon such holders. They should beinexpensive, preferably formed of one piece from plastic, simple andshould be capable of being positively connected with the goods andpositively remain connected with the goods as well as with thesuspension device at which the combined hanger and label support withthe therewith attached products are hung.

While it has been found that the prior art is not without numerousproposals of product hangers attempting to satisfy the variousrequirements, up to the present there has not been found to exist anysuch hanger with is capable of satisfactorily and reliably fulfillingeach of the aforementioned requirements. It has been found thatoftentimes after the articles are suspended by means of such type hangerat the display stand or the like they tend to detach from the suspensionelement, for instance the hanger rod, particularly during jarring ortransport of the display stand. Consequently, the articles drop off ofthe supportingelement or rod and become damaged as well as of courserendering unattractive the display arrangement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Hence it is a primary object of the presentinvention to provide a new and improved construction of combined hangerand label support which effectively and reliably fulfills the existingneed in the art and is not associated with the aforementiond drawbacksand limitations of the prior art constructions.

Another and more specific object of the present invention aims at theprovision of a new and improved construction of combined hanger andlabel support which is equipped with means for counteracting anytendency of the combined hanger and label support to drop off of thesupporting element at the display area.

Now in order to implement these and still further objects of theinvention, which will become more readily apparent as the descriptionproceeds, there is provided a product hanger and label support,especially for banana bunches, comprising a label support constituted byan essentially flat plate member having a suspension hook protrudingfrom one edge and from the opposite edge resilient expandable arms forengaging with the product to be suspended. The suspension hook providesan opening for receiving a suspension element at which the producthanger and label support together with the product is suspended.According to important aspects of the invention there are provided meanscooperating with the suspension hook for reducing the effective size ofthe opening through which passes the suspension element when the hangerand its therewith attached product is suspended such that the suspensionelement can only be forced through such opening due to the resilientcharacteristics of the hanger, particularly the suspension hook. In thisway there is ensured that once the hanger with the product engagedthereby is suspended at the suspension element it cannot unintentionallydrop off therefrom. The means cooperating with the suspension hook canbe for instance in the form of a protruding nose member extending in thedirection of the suspension hook for reducing the suspension elementthreading" opening between the free end of the suspension hook and theconfronting edge of the plate member of the label support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be better understoodand objects other than those set forth above, will become apparent whenconsideration is given to the following detailed description thereof.Such description makes reference to the annexed drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of combined producthanger and label support according to the invention:

FIG. 2 is an end view of the combined hanger and label support depictedin FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a front view, similar to the showing of FIG. I, of a furtherembodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Describing now thedrawing the illustrated exemplary embodiment of combination producthanger and label support as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 is advantageouslyformed of one piece from plastic and will be seen to embody a relativelylarge surface flat label support or carrier 1 formed from a plate memberwhich may have any desired shape, advantageously possessing asubstantially rectangular or square configuration. One of the flat facesof the label support serves for adhesively securing thereto any suitableproduct marker, typically labels which for instance are dispensed froman automatic balance or weighing device as the same are conventionallyemployed in commercial establishments, such as supermarkets or otherretail foodstores.

To facilitate stacking of the combined hanger and label supports, in theexemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 the plate-like label carrier orsupport 1 is provided with a pair of spaced projections 2 which protrudefrom one face of the label support 1. These projections or protuberances2 may possess a substantially truncated cone-like cross-sectionalconfiguration 211 though other cross-sectional shapes are possible.Inany event, the projections 2 of one label support can engage with thesimilar projections of the next situated label support, typically thenext overlyinglabel support 1 when a plurality of such combined hangerand label supports are placed in stack formation, for instance inasuitable dispenser. In this way the stackingof these label supports isfacilitated and they are retained in their stacked position until thetopmost'label support of' the stack is engaged and lifted by a suitablegripperelement for removal from the stack.

Continuing, it will be seen that at the lowermost edge of the plate-likelabel support 1 there are integrally formed thereat the resilient arms 4andS which collectively form two hook portions which are separated atthe root regions thereof by a slot 6 at the label support 1. Hookportion 4 is bent in the usual manner to form a substantially U-likehook and Serves as the carrier for the products to be suspended. Thehook portion is in the form of a relatively extended member andlaterally bears against the free end of the hook portion 4. The hookportion 5 therefore encloses the opening of the hook portion 4. The freeend of the hook portion 5 extends downwardly past the free end of thehook portion 4, so that between the downwardly protruding lower free endregion of the hook portion 5 and the adjoining upwardly directed freeend of the hook portion 4 there is formed a substantially V-shaped gapor space. Both of the hook portions 4 and 5 depend downwardlyapproximately through the same distance from the lower edge of the labelsupport 1. Application of the label support, for instance to a bananastalk, is readily facilitated by the illustrated construction of thehook portions because both hook portions 4, 5 possess at their freeresiliently expandable ends portions which separately protrude from oneanother. Therefore, it is easy to press one of these portions laterallyagainst the banana stalk which is to be engaged and thus to resilientlyspread both of the hook portions 4 and 5 out of the common plane. Thenthe spread hook portions can be pushed over the product and the hangerreleased, whereby the hook portions or hooks 4, 5 close. It is alsopossible for application of the label support to the product toinitially apply the unspread hook portions against the banana stalk tobe engaged in such a manner that the banana stalk penetrates into theV-shaped gap between the hook portions, then the label support isrotated through 90 in order to spread apart the hook portions and thenthe banana stalk is introduced between the spread hook portions in theaforedescribed manner.

After the product has been connected with the hook portions 4 and 5 ofthe label support 1 the latter is typically arranged, that is to sayhung or suspended at a suspension element, for instance a display rack.To this end there is provided at the opposite edge of the label support1 an upstanding suspension hook 3 likewise possessing a substantiallyU-shaped configuration. This suspension hook 3 encloses an opening forreceiving a suspension element, such as a rod shown in crosssection inFIG. 3 by reference numeral 12. In this regard the manner in which thesuspension hook 3 engages the support or suspension rod 12 can beequated with a standard clothes hanger where the hook thereof engageswith a rod of a clothing rack for example. However, it has been foundthat oftentimes the suspension hook '3 undesirably becomes detached fromthe supporting or suspension element 12, with a result that the combinedhanger and lable support together with the product held between thehooks 4 and 5 drop and oftentimes damage the product, apart fromrendering untidy the display area. Hence, according to a significantaspect of the invention there is provided for the combined hanger andlabel support means, here in the form of a projection or nose memberwhich extends in the direction of the resilient suspension hook 3. Thisprotruding nose member 10 together with the free end of the suspensionhook or hook member 3 delimits an opening a having a dimension such thatthe supporting element can only be threaded" through such opening withthe application of a certain amount of force so as to resiliently urgethe hook member 3 away from the nose member to permit the supportingelement 12 to then be engaged by the hook member 3 in the manner shownin FIG. 3. In this way, it should be apparent'that the combined hangerand label support must be forced somewhat onto the supporting element orrod 12 and therefore cannot unintentionally drop-off therefrom sincedetachment of the label support 1 from the supporting element 12requires a conscious opening of the suspension hook 3 to again unthreadthe supporting element from the suspension hook 3. if it is assumed thatthe suspension element 12 is in the form of a rod then the dimension aof the opening between the nose member 2 and the free end of the hookmember 3 is slightly less than the diameter of such supporting rod andthe space b encompassed by the U-shaped portion of the suspension hook 3and serving to receive such supporting rod 12.

There are of course possible different modifications of combined hangerand label support from the exemplary embodiment under discussion. Forinstance, in FIG. 3 there is depicted an exemplary embodiment ofcombined hanger and label support in which the extended hook portion 5possesses a nose 7 which partially overlies the arcuate-shaped hookportion 4. Also in this case the hook portion 5 which extends past thefree end of the hook portion 4 facilitates application of the combinedhanger and label support to the stalk of a banana or other productintended to be suspended by the combined hanger and label support,whereas the nose 7 improves the product engaging action of the hookmembers 4, 5. Further, it will be recognized that in the embodiment ofFIG. 3 instead of the protuberances 2 discussed above with respect tothe embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 here there are provided the transversereinforcement ribs 8, which likewise form protuberances, but the same donot engage into the hollow spaces of the neighboring protuberances inthe manner of the arrangement of FIG. 1. Still, during stacking of thelabel supports 1 these protruding ribs bear against the underside of thenext situated label support, and facilitate sucessively removing onelabel support after the other from the bottom of the stack of such labelsupports. Also in this case there is provided the nose member 10 whichcooperates with the suspension book 3 in the manner discussed above.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of theinvention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is notlimited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practicedwithin the scope of the following claims.

Accordingly, what is claimed is:

1. A combined hanger and label support comprising:

a label support member formed by an essentially flat plate member havingopposed edges;

expandable resilient arm members for engaging the product to besuspended, said members protruding from the plane of the label supportmember at the region of one of the opposed edges;

a suspension hook extending from the opposite edge of the label supportmember for engagement with a suspension element to thereby suspend thecombined hanger and label support, said suspension hook having a freeend;

a nose member protruding from the plane of the label support memberadjacent the free end of said suspension hook, said nose member and thefree end of said suspension hook delimiting an opening for receivingtherebetween said suspension element,

said opening being smaller in size than the suspension element so thatthe suspension element can only be forcefully inserted through saidopening for engagement by the suspension hook to thereby preventunintentional release of the combined hanger and label support from thesuspension hook; and

projection means protruding generally perpendicularly from the plane ofsaid label support member for facilitating stacking of a plurality ofsuch combined hanger and label supports, the projection tions.

1. A combined hanger and label support comprising: a label supportmember formed by an essentially flat plate member having opposed edges;expandable resilient arm members for engaging the product to besuspended, said members protruding from the plane of the label supportmember at the region of one of the opposed edges; a suspension hookextending from the opposite edge of the label support member forengagement with a suspension element to thereby suspend the combinedhanger and label support, said suspension hook having a free end; a nosemember protruding from the plane of the label support member adjacentthe free end of said suspension hook, said nose member and the free endof said suspension hook delimiting an opening for receiving therebetweensaid suspension element, said opening being smaller in size than thesuspension element so that the suspension element can only be forcefullyinserted through said opening for engagement by the suspension hook tothereby prevent unintentional release of the combined hanger and labelsupport from the suspension hook; and projection means protrudinggenerally perpendicularly from the plane of said label support memberfor facilitating stacking of a plurality of such combined hanger andlabel supports, the projection means of one of said label supportmembers being engageable with the projection means of an overlying labelsupport member when a plurality of combined hanger and label supportsare placed in a stack-like array.
 1. A combined hanger and label supportcomprising: a label support member formed by an essentially flat platemember having opposed edges; expandable resilient arm members forengaging the product to be suspended, said members protruding from theplane of the label support member at the region of one of the opposededges; a suspension hook extending from the opposite edge of the labelsupport member for engagement with a suspension element to therebysuspend the combined hanger and label support, said suspension hookhaving a free end; a nose member protruding from the plane of the labelsupport member adjacent the free end of said suspension hook, said nosemember and the free end of said suspension hook delimiting an openingfor receiving therebetween said suspension element, said opening beingsmaller in size than the suspension element so that the suspensionelement can only be forcefully inserted through said opening forengagement by the suspension hook to thereby prevent unintentionalrelease of the combined hanger and label support from the suspensionhook; and projection means protruding generally perpendicularly from theplane of said label support member for facilitating stacking of aplurality of such combined hanger and label supports, the projectionmeans of one of said label support members being engageable with theprojection means of an overlying label support member when a pluralityof combined hanger and label supports are placed in a stack-like array.